About Me

My photo
Maine&NY, United States
Ronna Lambiasi DeLoe is an author, writer, photographer, professional musician and NY attorney living in Maine and New York. She has an office in NY and is still actively doing appeals. She also play keys, synth & organ in a 7-piece band. Ms. DeLoe's poetry website provides custom poems or personalized poetry for every occasion. The new site is at: https://www.facebook.com/PoetandWriter/?fref=ts. Her photography website is: www.mainestreamphotography.com (live but under construction). Ms. DeLoe's first book of poetry is Serenity at Two Lights and Other Social Issues. It can be found on www.Amazon.com. Her children's book, Goodbye Monsters, can be found at: http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Monsters-Ronna-Lambiasi-DeLoe/dp/1633810011/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436384727&sr=8-1&keywords=ronna+lambiasi+deloe. Contact her at ronnadeloe@gmail.com and view her webpage at www.ronnalambiasideloe.com.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Writing Class: www.ed2go.com

This website was an incredible find. Ed2go at http://www.ed2go.com/ offers classes on many subjects, including writing. I took a few courses with instructor Steve Alcorn, who taught more in an online semester than I had ever learned in college. There are basic writing courses, advanced courses, courses in mystery writing, resume writing, technical writing, and dozens of other courses. If you are interested in writing fiction, I highly recommend Ed2go and Steve Alcorn's classes. The classes last for approximately six weeks and yes, there is homework, but the learning experience is great. You get to interact with your teacher and with other students in the class. You will have help with your ideas, book or whatever you are writing, and there are materials available for downloading or printing. I was disappointed when my classes ended. This website also offers courses in computers, language, and just about any subject you can think of. Highly recommended.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

MWPA: Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance

MWPA, or the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance (no apostrophes) can be found online at: http://www.mainewriters.org/. It is a dynamic group for published authors, wannabe authors, poets, publishers, and people interested in supporting a writing organization. MWPA offers many different events during the year, such as writers' conferences, a chapbook competition, awards for non-fiction, fiction, poetry, etc. to authors who are members, pitch-to-agents conferences, writing retreats, and it provides lists to many literary events in the State of Maine. It offers a website complete with a forum and guest blogging. It also has a quarterly newsletter called Maine in Print which features some outstanding articles and interviews with successful and some well-known authors.
The Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56419552174.
Please check out this non-profit organization which has done so much for writers in this state. If you live elsewhere, check Google (use state name and the word "writers" and either "group" or "association") for a similar organization in your state. For example, North Carolina has The North Carolina Writers' Network; Connecticut has Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. Some states have more than one such group.
Many of these groups are non-profit organizations. Maine's MWPA has been in existence for thirty-five years.
For more information, contact www.mainewriters.org or call 207-228-8263. MWPA is offering special membership discounts (December, 2010) for gifts and referrals. See website for details.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

PoemsforAllOccasions

Please check out http://www.poemsforalloccasions.com/. This is a chance to have a poem, toast, speech, roast or story made for a friend or loved one for a special (or ordinary) occasion. You provide the information, and we'll provide the poetry or whatever you'd like. This can be printed out on your end or we can send it on special designer paper, with or without a frame. Inexpensive and thoughtful gift.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Writer's Digest Magazine: A Must for Writers

If you are serious about writing that novel, non-fiction book, or book of another genre, you should consider subscribing to Writer's Digest. It is chock-full of information about crafting characters, prompts, ideas, creating villains, genre writing, how to get agents, how to get your book published, best websites for writers, how to get your poetry published, interviews with successful writers and how they achieved their success, and helpful information about writing, freelancing, and other types of writing such as copy writing.
I just looked at the issue from May/June 2010 again and was amazed at how many useful and informative articles there are about the craft (art) of writing, websites, and lots of the above. It gives a generally quiet profession--with the exception of your children or barking dogs in the background--some much-needed company. Sit with a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and get some great tips that you might not have gotten anywhere else.
Also, check out http://www.writersdigest.com/ (without the apostrophe). It is chock-full of writing advice for established and new writers. The website is invaluable; used in addition to the magazine, you are armed for the serious business of writing.

Pingy Web Application

Yesterday I stumbled across a site that listed this blog, www.mainewriterphotog.blogspot.com,  as something to check out. My blog was listed in the #1 spot with three others. Not bad for a site I hadn't heard of. Thank you!

It's called Pingy, and its purpose is to help you promote your website. While there are ads on Pingy, you can skip the ads and download an application to help promote your site. Pingy's website is: http://www.pingywebedition.somee.com/. It doesn't cost anything and it may help with promotion. I got more hits yesterday than any other day, probably because of Pingy.

The steps to download this application are listed. Follow them and you should be ready to have Pingy help you even when you're away from your website. Check out http://pingymasspingtool.blogspot.com/p/promote-your-site-with-pingy.html which is the promotion page.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Tess Gerritsen and Gerry Boyle - Mysteries, Thrills & Crime Novels

Maine is blessed with probably more writers per capita than most states. If you walk in "downtown" rural Maine, chances are you're literally surrounded by writers.
I wrote about Gerry Boyle previously. He's an outstanding mystery writer who doesn't have the following he deserves. He lives in the next county, I've seen him several times, and he knows I'm a huge fan. In fact, I have every one of his books, all autographed. He made "the drop" to my husband and teased about wearing a trench coat to do so -- my husband met him off Route 17 and picked up autographed copies of his books to complete my Gerry Boyle library. If you haven't read anything of his, I urge you to do so. His site is http://www.gerryboyle.com/. He has two new books from two different series: Damaged Goods is his latest of the Jack McMorrow series -- engaging characters, descriptive passages, excellent dialogue, terrific plots. You can learn a lot about writing by reading any of Gerry Boyle's books. His other recent book is Port City Shakedown, which was very well received. He's an outstanding writer and a super person, and I'm happy to call him a friend. His books Cover Story and Port City Shakedown were excellent and I'm now reading an older one entitled Bloodline.

Tess Gerritsen is another sweetheart who lives nearby. I've seen her at readings a few times as well. She is super-talented: a writer, an accomplished musician and also a medical doctor. Not bad credentials! She now has a TNT show based on her characters Rizzoli and Isles. Check out her blog at http://www.tessgerritsen.com/. People comment and she will often answer if there are questions, as she reads her blog frequently. I was at a book signing at the Owl & the Turtle Bookstore in Camden, Maine, where she announced the Rizzoli and Isles show on TNT; the audience was thrilled for her. Rizzoli and Isles is now playing in France, Sweden and Australia as well as the U.S., and it's going global all the time.

Speaking of thrills, she writes medical mystery/thrillers, which sound a bit unusual and definitely have a different twist and perspective than most authors. Her latest, Ice Cold, is in my bookcase begging to be read, and I have a bunch of her books, all autographed. She hands out promo cards and is a great public speaker. Her books are page-turners and can probably be called mysteries, medical thrillers and crime novels. Harvest was an excellent book. Tess Gerritsen is a writer who keeps getting better and has you hooked before you know it, usually on page 1.

Maine is blessed with many famous authors, and many of you have heard the name Tess Gerritsen. If you like a good story, plot and are into mysteries, her books and Gerry Boyle's books are must-reads.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Writing Gigs: Textbroker and Caveat Emptor Again

Here's another online writing mill that actually involves copy writing rather than writing articles. There are some articles that are needed, but primarily the site involves copy writing, from my experience with it. Here's the problem with this site. I figured there were probably a few catches and there are. The pay? Oh, do we get paid? You can write a 400 page copy ad for sneakers or whistles or whatever other product the client is selling and make anywhere from $1.25 to maybe a whopping $7.00 for your efforts. On one occasion, when I wrote about a law-related topic, the pay was about $15, but that's the most I've ever been paid on that site.

The site "rates" your writing skills by some method, and you can bet it's subjective. The highest score you can get is a 5. That is when you start making some money on this site. However, the editors tell you that a "5" writer has to be absolutely perfect, no exceptions. Apparently there are a bunch of people who are rated 2s and 3s and probably a lot of 4s. I received a 4 and wrote my initial five articles/ads for clients. I worked hard, double-checked everything and tried to move up in ranks. I was told that it is possible to move up, so I went for it. I was also told that since there was no COMMA in the first sentence, which was really one of those debatable uses of a comma, that I had to stay as a "4." A comma? Give me a break. Their answer to me was that "it has to be perfect." I would love to hear from the few people who have been rated "5." I don't think most authors would get that rating; certainly not Grisham or other best-selling authors who write well but then again, nobody is perfect. (I wonder who decides who garners this number).

In any event, Textbroker is okay if you get a client who likes you and you can set your own price. I set my own price although of course they can get someone to do the same thing for a lot less than what I am asking. I'm not asking a fortune either, but I'm asking for a respectable amount of money, still lower than what I should be asking for.

When freelancers ask and get so little (see yesterday's entry on Examiner.com), we have to ask ourselves why we are paid so little and why we accept it. We wouldn't accept it for anything else. It's not a fair price for the work. Do freelancers value their work so little that they take scraps? I won't do it. It's not worth it. I'd rather work in some other aspect of writing, such as resumes or definitely legal writing. My time is worth more than Textbroker is willing to pay. If I hear from a client, great. Two of them said they were interested but I haven't seen any orders yet and I might not. After all, they can get lesser quality work for about $3.00.
Not interested.

Freelancers - we need to value ourselves more. Ask for more. Demand more. If not, move on to something better.

All the best in writing,
Ronna

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Writing Gigs: Caveat Emptor Examiner - Bugs, Kinks, and Will We Be Paid?

A writer can find many outlets for the art or craft of writing. As a New York attorney, I do most of my writing for appeals, writing legal briefs. It's not a novel but it's still writing and I love it. With apologies, that is why I have been absent from this blog for the last month. I was served with a 59 page "brief," which is the largest I've ever received. I've been busy doing research and writing and am close to finishing my own brief in response. It's been a challenge keeping it short because of the six days of trial testimony. This is probably my favorite type of writing and I wish I could get more of it. I do have another brief to do in December but will try to write on this blog daily.

In the meantime, I wrote an article tonight for Examiner. Why? Not sure. The "new" Examiner is nothing like the Examiner I initially signed up for. Mind you, not that that was great either. I see articles with misspellings, poor grammar, and one woman was given several columns and she writes like this! and like this!! and like this!!!! This isn't writing--it's butchering language. What my "colleagues" do at Examiner is not a reflection of my work, but it does not speak highly of Examiner, so it is little wonder that the online writing content mills are not highly regarded.

Examiner wasn't good. Now it's worse. The Pub Tool has so many problems they can't even keep up with it. Tech support gets back to you a month later. Photos fail to upload. The kinks and bugs in the Pub Tool come with sincere apologies from administration. Who cares? While I'm trying to throw my computer out the window, they're telling me they're sorry it took me 4 hours to write an article I can usually write in a half hour.

The new Examiner also comes with new legalese. This is right up my alley, of course. So I read the new legal jargon, which I understood, and noticed that there is no guarantee of payment in the new rules and regs. Great. So now there is this possibility that I might not get paid for my writing.
Writers should not value our writing so little that we accept pennies for our articles, or less than pennies for our articles. The only reason I wrote an article for Examiner tonight was to get paid--if you haven't written in a month, you cannot get paid the following month. I haven't written in awhile and I'm still owed money from August. Well, I'd like to get paid, so I figured I would write one article, publish a few photos, and then maybe write an article a month in the future if I feel like it.
A lot of "Examiners" are leaving Examiner. It's a shame, because there are some great writers, albeit not too many, on the site. However, the Pub Tool and the possibility of NO PAYMENT should make everyone think before writing for Examiner unless their articles garner lots of $ and readership. Mine are specialized: New England Landmarks (listed under Travel) and Cooking, which competes with 5000 other cooking titles, so I don't get the numbers that some other writers do.
This is for people who are thinking of joining Examiner or who already are Examiners and haven't read the fine print. Caveat emptor -- buyer beware -- because you might not be paid, and you might just get paid LESS than a penny a click IF you get paid. Good luck to Examiner in its new form. It's going to need it.

Tomorrow: What's up with Textbroker?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Writing Gigs: Copy writing, Copy editing and Resume writing

Writing online articles for a few pennies here and there isn't the only way to make or sweat over money. There are some lucrative writing gigs such as copy writing, copy editing and resume writing. You probably never looked at any of these as writing, but they can be quite successful. You may have to come in on the ground floor if you don't have experience. However, English majors should have some experience. Offer to volunteer for some copy writing or editing jobs. Do a friend's resume and see if you like it. I did a resume for a friend who eventually got the job he was going for. Now I'm looking at resume writing in a whole new light. It's nothing I would have considered previously, but here I am, face to face with it.
Of course, don't give up your day job until these take off. Keep writing those articles (I know, I owe a bunch) and keep writing those legal briefs for those of us who need to do that too. These are just some suggestions that some of the seminars/webinars gave me so I thought I would pass them along. There are copy writing jobs, copy editing jobs, and resume jobs that you can apply for on the Internet. Let me know if you are looking for anything specific. In the meantime, there are places listed on this blog for websites for online jobs. If you need help, let me know and I can list some more job links. Happy writing. PS - copy writing is supposed to be lucrative. If you enjoy it, it could be your ticket to staying home.

Due soon - personalities of those in charge. Don't even get me started.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Writing Gigs: Websites and Hubspot

If you haven't found Hubspot yet, you're missing a great tool for your website. Hubspot will rate your website and your blog, as it's doing on this page. The numbers change depending on traffic and a variety of other factors. Hubspot also has many webinars to help you maximize your website and "landing potential" among other things. This webinar is at: http://www.hubspot.com/webinars/the-science-of-lead-generation/?source=email-20101004a-lead-gen . There are other webinars listed with it. Get to know Hubspot and I hope it can help you with your website. There are a lot of "help gurus" out there, but Hubspot is a good place to start.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Writing Gigs: Free Newsletters

The author of the Wealthy Freelancer has a site which sends free newsletters to your email address. I just received my first one. It's short but informative. Check out http://www.thewealthyfreelancer.com/. There are other goodies besides a free newsletter. This is an informative blog about writing, projects, how to deal with rejection, etc. Do not feel that you have to buy the book unless you want to. The first three chapters are, however, available for downloading if you want to check it out. This is a worthwhile link to add to your favorites list.

Freelancing and Payment: Videos

There are videos available from the International Freelancers Day which can help you with your freelancing career. Video #6 deals with how to get paid faster. The link is: http://www.internationalfreelancersday.com/videos/pre-event-training-video-6/
You can pick and choose which videos to watch.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Writing Aids: Webinar Sept. 30 at 12 pm EST

There is a webinar tomorrow at 12:00 pm EST until 1:30 pm about cover letters. The link to join is: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/join/819292846/106350392 . It is a free webinar and if you are job hunting, it might be valuable. This link will direct you to "come back" at 12 pm on Thursday, Sept 30, so I would suggest getting there a little before 12 to make sure you can sign in.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Writing Gigs: Worldwide Freelance Writer

If you're looking for a free newsletter in your inbox which, I believe, comes on a monthly basis if not more often, try the Worldwide Freelance Writer. Their website address is http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/. There are articles, newsletters, writers' markets, freelance jobs, and a whole bunch of goodies for freelance writers. Sometimes the newsletters are great, and sometimes there are one or two useful articles. Overall, I look forward to receiving it and getting some welcome advice.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Writing Gigs: The Wealthy Freelancer and International Freelancers Day

It appears that International Freelancers Day was a huge success, according to all accounts I've read. I attended many of the webinars and have some websites which can help your freelancing career. I'm printing out dozens of articles right now from http://www.thewealthyfreelancer.com/. If you weren't sure about purchasing the book, the first three chapters are available for downloading. Log into http://www.thewealthyfreelancer.com/ to get the download as well as several additional articles pertaining to freelancing.
There are so many helpful hints from the webinars we could be reading the available materials for the next year. I will list some sites I think are helpful in the next few weeks and hopefully they will help you too.

In the meantime, I have to replenish my ink, paper, and organize my desk--things I already knew I had to do but all of this material is pushing the paper and ink to the max, and my desk, while huge (about 8 ft -- my husband made it for me) is cluttered with freelance and legal material, and of course bills. First project -- separate the bills from the freelance materials and make space just for my freelance activities.

The webinars were valuable, I think, but I also have to say I'm glad they're over. I need time to keep up with projects, which include writing legal articles, writing travel and other articles, writing poetry for my website, and oh yeah, getting back to my novel.

Check out the above link; there's a free newsletter and lots of material to download.

Also, I received an email about the International Freelancers Day webinars being re-posted/re-run. They will have more information about it soon. I missed a few on Saturday so I think this is a great idea.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Writing Tips: International Freelancers Day

International Freelancers Day seems to be going well so far. Some of the tips apply to my situation, and some of them don't, but overall I think it's been helpful. The programs at International Freelancers Day are continuing today and tomorrow, with 5:15 p.m. EST being the time of the last presenter on each day. If still interested, check out post below and sign into International Freelancers Day to view videos.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

About Writing: Great article from John Grisham

Here's a terrific article by John Grisham, dated Sept 5, 2010 about his writing career. It's a good read for those who want to know about his destiny with writing and how that can translate to your own career or future. The link is: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/opinion/06Grisham.html?_r=3 . Let's hope, unlike Examiner.com this evening, that this link works! 

Checked it out -- it works ;>

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Baxter State Park, Part 2: Mt. Katahdin and mountain views - Portland Landmarks Travel | Examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/landmarks-travel-in-portland-me/baxter-state-park-part-2-mt-katahdin-and-mountain-views
Both Baxter State Park articles posted here have photos, so please check them out. Thanks. :)

Sept 23 - this should now be a working link since I re-posted it myself w/out waiting for Examiner's pub tool to work properly. You should be able to view this now.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Baxter State Park, Part 1: Moose-watching day - Portland Landmarks Travel | Examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/landmarks-travel-in-portland-me/baxter-state-park-part-1-moose-watching-day

Re-posted because original was not able to be viewed - Examiner's pub tool is not working, so I posted my own link to my own article. Thanks for your patience. 

Writing Gig and General Info: Tripatini

This link is for people interested in travel articles, and it furnishes some tips and job availabilities. It promotes itself as a social network for travelers and travel experts. There are forums on the website as well. There's a job board, bulletin board, blog posts, photos, and information about travel. If you are a travel writer, this might be a place you'll want to check out. The link is: http://www.tripatini.com/. I hope some of this information is useful and that you can get some valuable info from it. Please let me know what you think of the site so I can properly inform everyone. Thank you! Happy writing.

Monday, September 20, 2010

International Freelancers Day

Don't forget to sign up for International Freelancers Day. It's a free computer-based all day webinar. You pick what you want to see and what you don't. It is on Sept 24, but actually continues to Sept 25. The link is: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/InternationalFreelancersDay?ref=mf . There are a lot of good tips that will be shared on those days. The speakers are listed so you can plan your day(s) accordingly. There's also a contest on the page: http://www.internationalfreelancersday.com/contest/. Check the FB page and then it will show you where to apply.  http://www.internationalfreelancersday.com/.

Writing Gigs: The Freelance Writing Jobs Network

This site is a comprehensive list of jobs, writing tips, leads, and great resources for writers. The website, at http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/ lists all sorts of writing jobs. It's updated daily. It's a must-see for anyone looking to add to their writing sites or to find a possible full-time writing gig. I try to check this daily and have applied to some of the jobs. Jobs from journalism, article writing and copy writing are listed. Check this out--it's in my list of favorites and it's something you may want to check daily also.

Stephen King’s Blood-Red House in Bangor, Maine - Portland Landmarks Travel | Examiner.com

Stephen King’s Blood-Red House in Bangor, Maine - Portland Landmarks Travel Examiner.com

Thursday, September 16, 2010

www.mykuworld.com

Click here if interested in learning about http://www.mykuworld.com/. Speaking in Poetry: Mykuworld.com allows communication in poetry, either rhyming or free verse. Here's my response to someone who said love is just a fairy tale:

RE: Love is not a fairy tale



Love is not a fairy tale

I found my school sweetheart

Thirty years later we said "I do"

And now we'll never part.

The original poster was pretty bitter. Ouch. Maybe (s)he should have had a better divorce lawyer. ;>
Also, our marriage was 32 years after high school but we did meet again 30 years later --what's a couple of years?
A lot of writers are romantic, even if we don't write romance :)

International Freelancers Day - September 24-25, 2010


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile=1&id=128854193825635#!/InternationalFreelancersDay

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Writing and Gerry Boyle, Maine Author

Everyone knows about Maine author Stephen King. That he's done well is an understatement, and in Maine, he has a Blvd. named after him in Augusta and has an incredible house in Bangor.
There are, however, other Maine authors who would love that type of recognition, I'm sure.
The first author I'm following and reading avidly is Gerry Boyle : http://www.gerryboyle.com/. He is a mystery writer and has two series -- Jack McMorrow and Brandon Blake. His latest book is Damaged Goods in the McMorrow series, and I'm busy reading Port City Shakedown in the new Brandon Blake series.
Gerry is an incredible writer and person. He will talk to you about writing and go out of his way to make you feel positive about the writing experience.
His mysteries are great learning tools because everything  you wanted to write in a mystery is in there. His characters are real, his dialogue credible and his descriptions are top-notch.
If you want to read something by an author who should be a household name, check out any of Gerry Boyle's books. They're excellent to read and are great to study if you are a writer. Knowing Gerry, he probably had no intention of people studying or dissecting his books, but I hope he does become a household name soon. http://www.gerryboyle.com/. Great writer, and I'm proud to call him a friend.

Next up -- Maine's own Tess Gerritsen.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Writers Beware -- Join the Write/Right Sites for Feedback

There are hundreds of writing sites out there that allow for  feedback, critiques of your work, and allow you to critique others' writing. Since when did writers decide to critique one's profile? As we say in NY,
give me a break! That's going a little overboard, right? Well, I won't mention the site but I will not promote it either.
Instead, I would suggest that when joining a website that is a writers' forum, make sure you are comfortable there and make sure people are welcoming. If not, leave it! It's that simple. There are others which will be extremely supportive. You just have to find them. You may be a newbie to the site but not a neophyte when it comes to writing. While all writers, even seasoned writers, can benefit from constructive critiques, it would help if the writing sites helped newbies to the sites get adjusted before people started critiquing early attempts at getting a profile together.
I previously suggested http://www.mykuworld.com/ for poetry on this blog. That's a good site for practicing poetry and getting involved with other poets.
I'll be searching for other sites. In the meantime, we've formed an email chain on Examiner.com. There are about 20 of us in this self-made group. We don't always email each other, but when we do, it's usually very supportive. We read and comment on each other's articles. I wish I had time to comment on everyone's articles but the truth is I just don't. I always appreciate when people comment on mine and I understand if they're too busy to do so. In any event, the message here is to search for a supportive writers' group and if you feel uncomfortable in any particular group, leave it. There will be others that can take its place.
Writers need support in this sometimes quiet and lonely profession. If people are not supportive, there is no reason to stay. We can take critiques if they're done constructively, but if they're mean-spirited, there's nothing constructive about it.
I've found that many people are supportive, but one or two of them have nothing better to do than critique as if they had a red pen in their hand. What have they ever published? Find out if you can. Generally speaking, you may be surprised to find that the answer is --- NOTHING. :)
Take their comments with a grain of salt and move on. Don't even waste time thinking about their suggestions. They're not the authority of your written work -- you are.
I hope you find a supportive site, and if you know of any, please feel free to volunteer that information.

All the best,
Ronna

Writing and www.clevertutor.com

http://www.clevertutor.com/ is for people in the New York tri-state area. It provides premier tutoring for children who are either struggling or who simply want to do better. It is designed to improve children's skills and confidence. It also helps with specific problem areas, such as writing, reading and math, in a private or semi-private environment.
Check out http://www.clevertutor.com/ today for your child's needs.

Writing: Practice Your Poetry & Other Writing Sites

I found a great poetry website at http://www.mykuworld.com/. This free site allows you to peruse others' poems and interact by use of short poems. You can start a topic or add to an existing one. You can answer someone's poem and you will be able to show who you are answering.
The website has a board made up of squares. Each square is connected to another; you have a choice of picking any open square, writing a poem pertaining to the topic and answering one of the adjacent posters. By choosing an arrow, you will show to whom you are responding.
This is a great way to practice your poetry, free of charge, and to get involved in an online writing community.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Writing Gigs - "Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You" - Eleanor Roosevelt

I love the above-listed quote because it has become my mantra as a writer. Every day I find either a new writing site or a new challenge. I've started copy writing, which I never thought I would do, at Textbroker.com. My son would be proud, I'm sure, since that's his forte and his paying job. I've also signed up for Constant Content, which allows you to write articles and have customers bid on them. You can also write articles specifically requested by customers/clients, and it is possible to do that at Textbroker.com after you have written a few articles or copy.
I have to keep a list of the sites I'm writing for, since each requires different passwords and has different IDs. Likewise, I don't want to forget some of the sites that I write for, so I keep a small notebook of the sites I'm actively writing for.
I have two columns on Examiner which I had better get back to, but the changeover to the new Pub Tool has made it a little difficult so I've taken some time off from that. Will probably get back to both columns there this week.
Took a break from Suite101 for awhile but need to get back there too. Helium? Associated Content? Word Clerk? I am allowed to write for them--just never have. Maybe someone can tell ME if those sites are worth it.

If you can suggest a good writing site, please feel free to do so. I'm happy to share my finds. One of them is also http://www.myknowledgepublisher.com/, where I have also been qualified to write legal articles. I love that site and try to write a few articles a day. There are topics on that site other than legal. I think the legal pays the best, but there appear to be a lot of topics there and the copy writers are human and humane.

In the meantime, every day I'm trying something new as a writer. I love the Writing World newsletters I get in my inbox; they contain a wealth of information.

I welcome all suggestions re: writing sites and gigs. Please share your favorite sites.

Incidentally, if you are going to be in Camden, Maine on Sept 9, my favorite mystery author, Gerry Boyle, is going to be at the Camden Public Library at 6:30 p.m. promoting his new book. His site is http://www.gerryboyle.com/. His books are worth studying for crisp, clear writing.

All write,
Ronna

Friday, September 3, 2010

Writing and Capitalization: Capitalization Mistakes

Here's a helpful blog entry on capitalization. The site is Freelance Writing Jobs at http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/ and the post is at: http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2010/08/do-you-make-these-capitalization-mistakes/#retweet.
It discusses some common mistakes with capitalization and discusses how to fix them to improve writing. Also click on the link listed, A Sense of Capital En-TITLE-ment, for more tips.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Hiking Straight Up!

My husband and I visited Baxter State Park, a beautiful state Park in Maine. Places like this are too rare today. They have to be set aside and dedicated as public land so that animals can thrive there and so that people can be part of a natural setting. Baxter is breathtaking and more beautiful than I thought it would be. Mt. Katahdin is majestic, and just looking at one of the many lakes, hearing the loons, hearing the animals in the forests made me want to move to the area instantly. It's too cold in the winter but it's definitely a spring through fall destination for my family. No pets are allowed, so we can't bring the dogs, but they would only bark at the wildlife anyway, making photo ops impossible.
We saw two female moose while there. They passed about 50 feet in front of us. The M.O.for nature photographers is to be as still as possible and not disturb the animals in any way. Someone viewing wildlife should not talk and be quiet. I had the tripod set up with the telephoto lens and the moose let me snap away for two hours. Of course, someone in a kayak (don't get me wrong, I have a kayak and I love kayaking, but that's not the point here) came as close as he could to one of the moose and she bounded out of the water. I turned the camera on the kayaker to let him know he was being disrespectful of the animals in their natural habitat and hoped he got the message to either be quiet or to leave. He left and came back two hours later. We were still there (I'm sure he was disappointed) and so were the moose. No point in trying to make this person understand that if the animal changes behavior while you're around, you're too close and making her uncomfortable.
The moose were in marshy water with lots of grasses and reeds. They stayed there and ignored me because I was still and quiet. Got some great moose shots which I will share when I load them.
I also climbed the mountain 1/4 of the way up with my husband, and we did NOT intend to do that. We were planning to see waterfalls. A new and obviously inexperienced ranger told us that the hike to the waterfalls was 1.2 miles but it was mostly level. We were not happy to find that the trail suddenly rose in a steep incline and stayed that way all the way to the waterfalls. Some of the terrain was treacherous. Going up and down granite rocks was slippery, and there were fields of boulders everywhere, making walking difficult. The backpacks with all the photo equipment were weighing us down. We brought fruit for the trip up but in hindsight should have lightened the load. We got the waterfall shots as well, which will be shared when loaded onto the computer.
We will probably be aching for the next few days. Not 25 anymore, and it was tough for us -- 2 hours up, 1 hour down, but we did it, so I guess that counts for something. The waterfall was indeed beautiful. I don't understand why rangers don't mark the level of difficulty of the trails. If we had known how difficult it was, we probably would not have gone --but yes, it was worth it.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Writing and Lots of Ronnas

I found a few websites recently that are great for freelance writers. The myku poetry is helpful for keeping poetry alive and for many prompts based on the posts of other writers. The Knowledge Writing has many different types of feature articles. I'm writing for the legal sites on Knowledge Writing because that was what I qualified for as an expert. It's a lot of work but rewarding because my articles are going on many different sites, including divorcenet.com, divorcelawfirms.com, and disabilitylawyers.com. I also do legal writing for Demand Studios, as well as articles about travel, cooking, music, relationships, parenting, and general topics for other sites.
In the meantime, someone found me on Facebook and started a Ronnas Unite site for people with the unusual first name of Ronna. We thought maybe we'd have about 20 people or so. Right now, we're up to 89 people and still growing. I know of two other Ronnas who have yet to join, and there are even more Ronnas on Twitter who are not on Facebook. It's an eye-opener because we all have the same story about how people mangle our first name and we all tell people to pronounce our name "like Donna with an R."
Keep writing and check out http://www.poemsforalloccasions.com/

Monday, August 16, 2010

Short poem written as conversation on Myku.com

Found this site re: conversing in poetry. Since www.poemsforalloccasions.com is about poetry, I answered, and responsed in kind to someone's gripe about tea parties:

Everywhere there's tea
But I'm a coffee drinker
The tea is mixed with hate
But coffee black's a thinker

Sunday, August 15, 2010

www.poemsforalloccasions.com

See listing in previous post for description - www.poemsforalloccasions.com is for custom poems and personalized poetry for baby showers, weddings, retirements, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, etc. Makes a great gift for not a lot of $.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

http://www.poemsforalloccasions.com - Click below to access website

My new website, http://www.poemsforalloccasions.com/ , is ready. The site is for you to furnish information about the poem you would like for that special someone or for whatever occasion you can imagine. The poetry can be rhyming or not, and it can be a long poem or a short one. It can also be serious, romantic, sarcastic, funny, or whatever mood you want it to be. http://www.poemsforalloccasions.com/ allows you to give your information about the recipient so that a custom or personalized poem can be written. This poetry can be done within a few days, or you can have a rush order. There is also an option to have fancy computer paper, and there is no extra fee for using white or ivory card stock. This can be sent to you via email for you to print out on your end, or I can mail it to you with matting. I can even have a black or brown frame (no glass) on it as well. http://www.poemsforalloccasions.com/ (and also http://www.poemsforalloccasions.net/ ) allows you to control what you would like the poem to say. I also write speeches, stories, toasts and roasts. Have fun with it -- your recipient will enjoy it. You can recite this or have someone recite the poem to the intended recipient, in person or in front of a group of people at a party. You can also mail it to the recipient, or I can do that for you upon your approval.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Tess Gerritsen's new book is available

Tonight I had the pleasure of seeing Tess Gerritsen at the Owl and Turtle bookstore in Camden, Maine. This little store is where Ms. Gerritsen usually kicks off her new releases since she lives in the area. The bookstore was crowded with fans of the author, who is extremely personable and is passionate about her characters. She told several stories about how she developed her characters and how she got into the heads of each character so that they seemed very real. After her discussion, Ms. Gerritsen was available for book signings. Her new book, Ice Cold, was released today and the crowd was enthusiastic. Even more exciting was the news that her series, which involves characters Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles, is being made into a television series on TNT starting Monday nights in July, 2010.
Tess Gerritsen's blog can be found at: www.tessgerritsen.com/blog

It's fortuitous to have best selling authors live in or visit the area. Some of the best authors are in Maine.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

http://blues-music.suite101.com/article.cfm/singing-the-blues--north-atlantic-blues-festival

Article related to where we will be playing ....see section near the bottom about the Club Crawl.

www.undercover-band.com

Undercover will be playing for the Club Crawl at the Blues Festival, and we couldn't be more excited. Actually we will be playing on 3 nights, including Thursday, July 8, 2010 8:30 p.m. at the Time Out Pub in Rockland, ME; Waterworks Restaurant & Pub on Friday, July 9, 2010 at 8:30 p.m., and Trackside (a converted railroad station!) on Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 8:30 p.m.
The site is at: www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com/crawl.html

It does not include Thursday, July 8 but trust me, the place will be hopping with blues fans. We will be updating our web page tonight at www.undercover-band.com

:)

Friday, March 5, 2010

What person in your life helped you understand the importance of choosing words carefully? What would you say to them if you met them today?

The person who made the biggest impression on me regarding speech, language and writing was my twelfth grade creative writing teacher, Duke Schirmer. I was lucky to reestablish contact with him after more than thirty-two years and we are still in touch with each other. He was a tremendous inspiration to me in many ways. He and his wife used to read poetry to each other every day for many years over a bottle of wine. The neighbors came to listen and I thought it was such a romantic thing to do. Now my teacher is my friend. As a teacher, he gave the right amount of praise and correction, which was never harsh or meant to stifle creativity. He loved when your poem was a little more outlandish than the one you wrote last week. Much of my writing is dedicated to Duke and the impression he made on me. Cheers, Duke, as you used to say in your tie-dyed shirts as you sat on the floor, smoking cigarettes in class. Thanks, Duke, for guiding me in the write direction.

If you had to eliminate one word or phrase from the English language, what would it be? Why?

That's also an easy one as well. ..the word "can't." That word has paralyzed people, kept them rooted in one spot and not moving forward. There is a whole world waiting for people who say I can't do something. If they learn to believe that they can, they might learn that they truly can and the next time they'll believe it even more and go a step further. This word is one of the worst words in any language. It would be better to use the word sparingly or not at all. So much more would get done, people would have better self-esteem, and fewer arguments would happen. What if someone said we can't stop the wars? Wars would never cease. The only word to use in that situation is "can." The same can be said about many other situations. We must try lest we fail.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Prompt: Writers are people who take isolated words and craft them into memorable phrases, stories, poems and plays.

Prompt continued: Who are the writers who make your heart sing? What is the magic ingredient?

My favorite writer is mystery writer and Mainer Gerry Boyle. He writes vivid and realistic mysteries with incredible detail, description, and a strong plot and story line. His words are infused with humor and some sarcasm, and his characters are real and not plastic. He incorporates great dialogue, realistic scenarios, and compelling ideas and events into his novels. His settings are realistic and the reader is hooked on page 1. I have the entire "Gerry Boyle mystery collection" autographed because he knows I am such a big fan of his. He was kind enough to make sure I had each book that I wanted. He has a new book, Port City Shake Down, in hardcover, and he has another book due out any day or it has just been released. He is my mentor of sorts, even if he doesn't know it, and I hope he becomes a household word. Thanks, Gerry, for taking me to another place with your writing.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Prompt: Communication breaks down when words are misused. What is the funniest, most interesting, or worst break-down you've ever observed?

One of the funniest comments was made by my daughter, who, by the way, is not dyslexic but somehow got her words mixed up. She said to me, on a very icy day, "Be careful, mom, the slips are steppery." I looked at her and she was dead serious. Then she realized what she had said and started laughing. Apparently she was trying to tell me how icy our front steps were but she mixed up the two words "slippery" and "steps." We often tease her about it, and to this date she's quite proud of the mix-up she made.

Prompt: What is the most important word or words in your life? Why?

It took less than one second for me to come up with this one. The answer is "LOVE," especially since I just wrote an article on Robert Indiana and his LOVE sculpture and logo on my New England Landmarks Travel Examiner site on Examiner.com. In fact, as I write this, a replica of the LOVE sculpture is in front of me, at the base of my computer screen. That is the most important word in my life --without love, life is empty, meaningless and lonely. People can search the world over to find it and never succeed. Others are blessed to have it, and sometimes we find it in our backyard. I found it by going back to my high school years --finding someone I went to high school with years ago and should have been with then. I am blessed to have found it and blessed to have love in my life. I wish that for my children as well. While I may not have a lot, I have everything if I have love. If I have a lot but don't have love, I have nothing.

New column at Examiner.com

I have a new column at Examiner.com entitled Portland Recipes Examiner for Portland, Maine. The website is: www.examiner.com/x-39364-Portland-Recipes-Examiner.
I'm excited about this because it allows me to write about things other than travel, law, and general topics. While some might argue that recipe writing is not necessarily writing, and I would agree with them, it is still a chance to get your name out there and set up a column that people can rely upon. I hope you'll visit often.
Don't forget my other column on Examiner.com: www.examiner.com/x-19868-New-England-Landmarks-Travel-Examiner.

All the best,
Ronna